More Syrup Jim?

A while back Hand Collated posted about Jim Palmer, referring to his nickname "Cakes". Early in June the Baltimore Sun posted some great photos of Orioles HOF'ers.

Here's "Pancakes":
"Pancakes. Orioles Hall of Famer Jim Palmer had to have them for breakfast every time he took the mound. Here, the 20-year-old right-hander digs into a stack of 41 (by our count) flapjacks prior to pitching Game 2 of the 1966 World Series. When Palmer defeated the Los Angeles Dodgers, 6-0, for his first big-league shutout, his nickname was for keeps -- Jockey shorts or no."

Growing up in the sixties and seventies we had a lot of exposure to the Orioles. Besides being in five World Series, they were featured on "The Game of the Week" on NBC it seemed like every other week. I know their players almost as well as the Cubs of that era. Over the last several years I've collected certified autos of as many of the to me "classic" Orioles as I can. I have a modest fitted cap collection and my favorite is still the late sixties one with with cartoon bird.

Here are a few more great shots courtesy of the Sun:

"It’s September 11, 1970 and the Orioles are a cinch to win the American League East -- much to the chagrin of the New York Yankees, their opponent that night. Some weeks earlier, New York outfielder Curt Blefary had told his teammates that they could still catch Baltimore because the Orioles weren’t supermen. Here, Orioles slugger Frank Robinson suggests otherwise, ripping open his shirt as Blefary roars with laughter.

The Orioles won 108 games that season, swept Minnesota to win the American League flag and then defeated Cincinnati, four games to one, to win their second World Series."

"Brooks Robinson’s expression is matched by that of his four-year-old son, Brooks David, during the Orioles’ annual Father and Son game at Memorial Stadium in 1965. The youngster went on the play baseball at Loyola High and is now an investment banker living in La Grange, Ga. His dad’s likeness hangs in Cooperstown."
"When the Orioles dealt for Luis Aparicio in 1963, they sealed the left side of their infield for years to come. Few balls got past future Hall of Famers Aparicio, the go-go shortstop, or unerring Brooks Robinson at third. For five seasons here, the airborne Venezuelan turned double plays like this one, against Cleveland (and base runner Max Alvis) in 1967.

Aparicio had perhaps his best year in Baltimore in 1966, when he had hitting streaks of 17 and 14 games. Three times that summer, he hammered five hits in one game to help the Orioles to a World Series championship.

"I disappointed vice president, though," he said afterward. "(Hubert) Humphrey told me to hit home run for him and I didn’t."

Now 75, Aparicio resides in his native land."